Counter for machines



Dec. 28, 1937. H. L. SPAUNBURG 2,103,650

COUNTER FOR MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 756 arr/umHARVEY L SPAUNBURG Dec. 28, 1937. H. SPAUNBURG 2,103,650

COUNTER FOR MACHINE S Filed Jan. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Summon;

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTER FOR MACHINESApplication January 23, 1937, Serial No. 121,941

17 Claims.

This invention relates to registering mechanisms for counting the numberof operations or sequences of movement of machines or the like. As aninstance of a use to which the present 5 invention may be applied,reference may be had to weaving looms wherein it is desirable that thenumber of operations of the machine during each of the several shiftsmay be counted in order to determine the amount of pay to be received by10' the several operators. It is the usual practice in connection withlooms to provide a counter machine having a casing housing a number ofcounter devices, one device for each shift. The number of picks isadapted to be selectively registered on the counter devices. It isapparent that my improved arrangement may be employed on machines otherthan looms but, for convenience, the following description will proceedon the assumption that the mechanism disclosed is 2 to be employed inthat connection.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a plurality of separablecounter units which may be connected together in variable numbers inorder to meet the demands of the trade for :5 counting mechanisms formachines adapted to be operated by different operators during severalperiods of time, that is, in shifts. With my improved arrangement, if amachine is provided with counting mechanism to take care of a certainnumber of shifts and it is desired to increase the number of shifts atwhich the machine is run, an additional counter unit or units may bevery quickly and easily attached to the unit or units already installed,and the units may 17-5 then be selectively operated through the samemechanism without in any way affecting or disarranging the units alreadyinstalled. Thus, the customers may, at relatively low cost, change over,for example, from a two shift to a three shift arrangement, by merelyadding an additional unit to the already installed unit or units,whereas heretofore he would haveto discard the double pick counter andinstall an entirely new triple pick counter. Further, with my improvedarrangement, it is not necessary for the manufacturer of the countingmechanisms to manufacture and carry in stock integral counting ma chinesvarying from one another in the number of counting devices orv registersincorporated therein, thus permitting of economy in manu-' facture,reduction of carrying charges, and increasing the ability to readily andquickly meet the demands of the trade.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 35 vide an improvedarrangement having the above and other advantages and which ischaracterized by its extreme simplicity in construction,

economy in manufacture, the ease with which the units may be added to orsubtracted from as desired, and the facility with which the assem- 5bled units may be selectively rendered operative at will.

V This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No.686,330 filed by me August 23, 1933. 10

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out moreindetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of an arrangement in which there isincorporated three separable counter units;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View through the arrangement, this viewbeing taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the manner in which theseveral counting devices are locked against resetting;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-4 of Fig. 1 and showing thedrive for the counting devices and the means for selectively renderingthe units operable one at atime;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig; 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the means whereby the resetting shaftpicks up the totalizer wheels;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the means for preventing the resettingshaft from being rotated in the wrong direction;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing 40 the units in adiiferent arrangement; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings in detail, A, B,and C designate three separable counter units secured in mutuallyoperable and assembled relation. The unit A may be referred to as thefirst shift or primary unit, the same being provided with a manuallyoperable member ID for shifting the several units into and out ofoperation; a lock II for preventing resetting of the counting devices,and a primary shaft section lZa through which the counting devices areoperated. The lower end of the section I2a is provided with means, suchCir as a flattened projecting end l3, whereby the shaft may beassociated with an operating part of the loom or othermachine (notshown). The units Band C may be respectively referred to, forconvenience in description, as the second and third shift units, thesetwo units being preferably identical in construction in all details.

Each unit-includes a casing l5 having an individual removable cover l6provided with a window I! through which the numerals on the numetal orindicating wheels l8 may be observed. The covers l6 are secured inplace, at least in part, by screws 5 which are so arranged that theycannot be tampered with In the present instance, these screws extendthrough openings in the'bottom walls of the casings and are screwed intolugs 5' on the covers. The casings are preferably of oblong shape and oflike depth and length in order that the abutting sides may register whenthe units are placed on top of (or alongside of) one another. The units13 and C are preferably of the same height, but the unit A is of greaterheight in order to accommodate the lock 1 I and the shift operatingmember H]. The units are detachably connected together, as by means ofbolts [9, the top wall of the unit A and the top and bottom walls of theunits B and C being provided with registering openings adapted toreceive these bolts. The openings in the top of the casing A whichreceive these bolts are threaded, and the bolts are screwed into thesethreaded openings. In the event that but two units are to be employed,the second unit will be secured to the primary one by bolts shorter thanthose illustrated in the drawings.

' ing I. A plug or nut 8 is positioned in the topmost opening I and theupper end of the screw is threaded into this plug. The upper end of thenut or block 8 is plain and is flush with the top surface of theuppermost casing so that a tool cannot be applied to-it for the purposeof turning it. The assembled units are installed on a bracket which isshown in the accompanying drawings more or less diagrammatically bydotted lines. It is indicatedby the numeral 9. The lowermost casing isadapted to be secured and sealed to the bracket 9, the securing andsealing means not being show as they may be of any suitable form. Itwill be noted, however, that when the parts are installed as describedaccess cannot be had to the sealing screw 6 because of the bracket 9 sothat an operator cannot surreptitiously separate the several units.Also, access to the sealing screws 5 for the cover cannot be had. Thus,it is impossible for an operator to remove the several seal screws andtamper with the counters without first breaking the seal between thebracket and the lowermost casing.

Mounted within each casing is a counting device, these counting devicesbeing illustrated more or less conventionally and diagrammatically inthe drawings as the particular construction' thereof forms no part ofthe present inven- Counting devices of an old and wellside upon ashaft29, there being between the wheels transfer mechanism whereby a wheel ofhigher order is advanced one step each time a wheel of the next lowerorder has made a complete revolution. The wheels are shown as beingarranged in increasing order from the right to the left in Fig. 1. Thetransfer means is not illustrated as any suitable type of such means maybe employed.

Referring now to the means for operating or driving the numeral wheels,each unit has a vertical drive shaft section, the sections of theseveral units being designated by the characters l 2a, I2b, and I20.Upon each shaft section is pinned a worm 2| meshing with a worm wheel 22loose on the associated-shaft 20. The shaft sections may be held againstaxial movement by sleeves 33. Between each worm wheel 22 and therespective counting device is a breakable connection which is here shownas being in the form of a clutch. Each clutch includes a sleeve 23slidably mounted on the associated shaft 20 and having a flange 24 atone end provided with notches 25 adapted to disengageably receive pins26 projecting from the face of the gear 22. The other end of the sleeve23 carries a flange 27 to which is fixed one element 28 of a slidableconnection. The other element of the slidable connection is designatedby the numeral 29 and is suitably associated with the numeral wheel oflowest order through a wheel 30 for the purpose of permitting of anumber of revolutions of the driven clutch sleeve between each step ofthe first numeral wheel. The elements 28 and 29 are in the form ofcylindrical members having intermeshing fingers adapted to slidelongitudinally relative to one another, thus permitting of longitudinalmovement of the clutch sleeve 23 on the shaft 20. Between the elements28 and 29 are springs 34 which normally urge the clutch sleeves towardsthe right, referring to Fig. 1. The shaft sections I211, I21), and I20are so positioned that when the several units are assembled thesesections are aligned. Between each shaft section and the next succeedingone is a quick detachable connection so that, when the units areassembled, the three sections are connected together. In the presentillustrated disclosure, the detachable connection between the adjacentshaft sections comprises a diametrically extending tongue 3| on the endof one section, and a kerf 32 on the end of the other section andadapted to receive the tongue. In the present instance, the upper endsof the shaft sections are provided with the kerfs 32, and the lower endsof the sections 12b and Ho are provided with tongues 3|. In the topwalls of the casings and about the upper ends of the shaft sections arerecesses or rabbets 35'. Depending from the bottom wallsof themiddle-and topmost casings are bosses 35 adapted to engage in therabbets 35' of the respective next lower casings, as shown in Fig. 3.Similarly, interengaging bosses 36 and rabbets 36' may be providedbetween adjacent casings at the points through which the lefthand-screwl9 extends.

The means for selectively rendering all but one of the counting devicesinoperable may take any suitable form, but is here illustrated ascomprising a. sectional shift shaftsomewhat similar -to the sectionaldrive shaft, means on the primary unit A" for setting the shift shaft,and means on theseveral sections of the shift shaft for operating theseveral clutches. The shift shaft comprises the sections 40a, 40b, and crespectively associated with the units A, B and C. These shafts arejournalled in the upper and lower walls of the respective casings. Theupper end of the shaft 40a, which is flush with the top surface of thelower casing, is provided with a kerf 31, and the lower end of thesection 40b is provided with a tongue 38 adapted to engage in that kerfSimilarly, the upper end of the shaft 402) has a kerf 31 which receivesa tongue 38 on the lower end of. the upper shaft section 4110. Upon eachshift shaft section is a cam 4| adapted to cooperate with the flange 21of the associated clutch sleeve 23. These cams have flats 40, the flatsof the several cams being angularly spaced about the axis of the shaft.When the flat of one cam is opposed to the associated flange 21, theclutch sleeve carrying that flange will move to its left-hand position(as shown in connection with the primary unit in Fig. 1) and in whichposition the notches 25 receive the drive pins 26, and at this time theother cams are holding the clutches associated therewith in offposition.

The shift shaft is set in any suitable manner, as by means of a knob 43through which extends a stub shaft 44 journalled in the cover I6 I ofthe primary unit. To the inner end of the shaft 44 is pinned a bevelgear 45 meshing with a bevel gear 46 pinned to. the shaft section 40a.In order that the shifting mechanism may be held in set position, thereis provided in the cover [8 and about the shaft 44 a plurality ofrecesses 41 in which is adapted to selectively engage a pin v48projecting from the rear end of the knob 43. In the present instance,there are four such notches respectively corresponding to the threeunits and a neutral position. The knob 43 is slidably mounted on theshaft 44 in order to permit the pin 48 to be withdrawn from a notch whenit is desired to set the shifting mechanism. The knob is keyed to theshaft 44 by a cross-pin 49 which engages in a notch 58 ad- Jacent theinner end of the knob. A spring normally urges the knob towards thecasing.

'; For the purpose of indicating the setting of the knob, the same isprovided with an arrow 52 and on the casing cover and about the knob arethe numerals 1, "2, and 3.

In order to permit each counting device to be individually reset tozero, each shaft 20 is provided at one end with a handle or knob 10located outside of the casing. Each shaft 20 has a longitudinallyextending groove H, and each numeral wheel has a pawl the free end ofwhich is adapted to engage in this groove. From Fig.

5, it will be seen that a wheel, when operated through the drivingmechanism, will rotate counterclockwise upon the then stationary shaft20 and that, when the shaft 20 is manually turned counterclockwise, itwill pick up the wheels through the pawls and thus the wheels may bereset to zero. In order to prevent tampering with the resetting means byunauthorized persons, means are provided for locking the shafts 20,together with the knobs carried thereby. In the present instance, thelocking means includes a lock of'suitable sort carried by the primaryunit A, and a sectional lock bar, the sections of which are brought intooperative relation by merely assembling the units upon one another.Referring to the drawings, the lock bar sections respectively associatedwith the units A, B, and C are designated by the charlcters a, 15b and15c. The lowest section "at t has its upper end slidably supported in anopening 18 in the top wall of the lowermost casing. The lower end of thebar section 15a rests upon the periphery of a locking disk or cam 11carried by the inner end of the barrel 18 of the key cylinder lock ll.As usual, the lock is so constructed that the key cannot be withdrawnexcept when the lock is in locked condition. This lock may be carried bya bracket 19 secured within the lowermost casing. Each bar section 1512and 150 hasits upper and lower ends slidably mounted in openings in thetop and bottom walls of the casings in which they are located, thesections having a length corresponding to the heights of the casings.The sections, of course, are correspondingly positioned so that when theunits are placed one upon the other, the several sections are inalignment with their ends in abutment. Each section is provided with anupwardly facing locking shoulder 80, and each shaft 20 has fixed to it acollar or disk 8! provided with a fiat surface 82 against which theassociated stop shoulder 88 is adapt-ed to engage. When the lock II isin unlocked position, that is, when the locking disk or cam 11 is atright angles to the position shown in, Fig. 1, the shafts 20 may beturned by means of the knobs or handles 10 to reset the counting devicesto zero. When the counting devices are all at zero, the flats 82 of thedisks 8| are parallel and opposed to the several shoulders 80 on thelocking bar. The lock may now be turned to locked position, therebymoving the lock bar sections upwardly so that the shoulders of the lockbar sections will engage the respective flats. The term lock bar is usedby way of description and not by way of limitation.

In order to prevent cheating by the operator (in the event a key to thelock is secured) by turning a resetting shaft backwardly to pick up awheel of the lowest order and then turn it forwardly, each of .thecollars or disks 8| is provided with a. flange 83 provided in itsperiphery with one or more notches 84 and on the inner face of eachcover I5 is a spring catch 85 the free end of which is adapted to engagethe periphery of the respective flange 83. The notches are of ratchetshape so as to permit the shafts 28 to be rotated in the properdirection without interference by the spring catches. The springcatches, however, prevent rotation of the shafts in the wrong direction.Since the lock is so constructed that it is impossible to remove the keyexcept in the locked position, and it being impossible to cause it tooccupy the locked position except when flats 82 of disks 8| are paralleland opposed to shoulder 80 on locking bar, it will be apparent thatbecause the resetting shaft is prevented from being turned backwardly tothe locked position, if it is displaced from this position it becomesnecessary to turn it forwardly, thereby resetting the counting wheels tozero and losing the registration. the other alternative being loss ofkey and evidence of attempted tampering because of the impossibility ofremoving key except in locked posi tion.

The manner in which the units are assembled and the operation of thecounting devices will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It willbe observed that, when one unit is positioned upon another, the sectionsof the drive shaft, the sections of the shift shaft, and the sections ofthe lock bar are automatically brought into alignment and operativerelation relative to one another, and the driving-connections betweenthe sections of the drive shaft and the sections of the shift shaft areestablished. During the normal operation of the mechanism,

.each drive shaft section is driven through the corporated in a singlecasing and the third unit" C may be constructed as illustrated anddescribed. It is quite apparent that the above described means forlocking the reset shafts against operation so as to prevent tamperingwith the resetting by unauthorized persons may be readily modified so asto permit the several units to be assembled in different se uentialorders. For example, the arrangement s own in Figs. '7 and 8 may beadopted. Referring to these figures, it will be noted that each of thecollars or disks 8! may be secured to its shaft 20 with the flat 82facing either downwardly or upwardly when the numeral wheels are in zeroposition. To this end, each cam may be secured to its shaft by a re,-movable pin illll having a relatively close fit in the holes throughwhich it extends. The lock bar sections 151) and 750 may be reversed endfor end in the respective units. The unit A is provided with anauxiliary lock bar section I50 slidably mounted in a recess ll in thebottom wall of the casing IS. The section 150 may have, adjacent itsupper end, a lug I02 for limiting downward movement of this section. Thelocking disk or cam 11 of the lock II is double-ended; that is, it hasat its opposite ends similar camming surfaces I03 adapted torespectively cooperate with the lower end of the section 15a and theupper end of the section 150. Obviously, the lower end of the driveshaft section 12a may be conthrough the bottom wall of the casing of theunit A and provided with a tongue similar to the tongues 38. With thearrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the units may be assembled in anysuitable order. In Fig. '7, the unit A is illustrated as beingpositioned between the-units C and B.

When so arranged, the disk or collar 8l of the unit C is secured to itsshaft 2|] in a position at 180 to that shown in Fig. 2, and the lockingbar section 15c is inverted from the position shown in Fig. 2 to theposition shown in Fig. '7. The nowupper' end of the lock bar section 150is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the section 150.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that'the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe in-' vention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In' combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit including a casing, a counter device withineach casing and having numeral members, a sectional drive memberjournalled in each casing, and a breakable connection within each casingbetween the drive member and the counter device therein; means forsecuring said casings together in abutting relation, and means forselectively shifting said breakable connections into and out ofoperative engagement and including a manually operable member common toall of said breakable connections.

2. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units in abuttingrelation; each unit having a casing, a counter device in each casing andhaving a plurality of numeral members, a sectional drive member in eachcasing, and a breakable connection within each casing between the drivemember and the counter device therein; means for fastening the casingstogether in abutting relation, a manually operable member on the outsideof said casings having a plurality of selectively settable positions,and means connected between said member and said breakable connectionswhereby said manually operable member may selectively connect thecounters with the respective sectional drive members.

3. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units in abuttingrelation; each unit having a casing, a counter device in each'casing andhaving a plurality of numeral members, a sectional drive member in eachcasing, and a breakable connection within each casing between the drivemember and the counter device therein; means for fastening the casingstogether in abutting relation, cover means for said casings, a manuallyoperable member carried by said cover means and having a plurality ofselectively settable positions, and means behind, and concealed by, saidcover means and between said manually operable member and said breakableconnections whereby said manually operable member may selectivelyconnect the counter devices with the respective drive members.

4. In combination, aplurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit including a casing, a counter device withinthe casing and having numeral members, a sectional drive memberjournalled in each casing, and a breakable connection between said drivemember and the counter device; means for securing said casings togetherin abutting relation, and means for selectively shifting said breakableconnections into and out of operation, said last mentioned meansincluding a sectional shift member with one section located in eachcasing and a manually operable member for setting said shift member.

5. In combination, a plurality of counter units positioned in abuttingrelation; each unit having a casing, a counter device located thereinand having numeral members, a drive shaft section through which saidcounter device is operated, a breakable connection between said driveshaft section and counter device, and means for shifting said breakableconnection including a shift shaft section journalled in the casing;means for securing said casings together, a quick detachable connectionbetween adjacent ends of adjacent sections of the drive shaft, a quickdetachable connection between adjacent ends of adjacent shift shaftsections whereby said sections form a composite shift shaft, and amanually operable member for setting said shift shaft.

6. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit including a casing, a counter device withinthe casing and having numeral members, a drive shaft section journalledin the casing and through which said counter device is operated, aclutch between said drive shaft section and the associated counterdevice, a shift shaft section journalled in the casing, and a cam onsaid shift shaft section for operating said clutch; means for securingsaid casings together in abutting relation, a quick detachableconnection between adjacent ends of the drive shaft sections, a quickdetachable connection between adjacent ends of the shift shaft sections,and means on one of said units for setting said shift shaft.

7. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit including a casing, a counter device withineach casing and having numeral members, a sectional drive member in eachcasing, and a breakable connection within each casing between the drivemember and'the counter device therein;

means for securing said casings togetherin abutting relation, means forselectively shifting said breakable connections into and out ofoperative relation, each of said counter devices having a resettingmeans, and means for simultaneously locking said resetting means againstoperation and including operatively associated lock members respectivelyassociated with said resetting means, and a locking instrumentalityadapted to lock said members in operative position.

8. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit having a casing, a counter device withinthe casing and having numeral wheels, and means for resetting thenumeral wheels; means for driving said counter devices, means forselectively rendering said devices operative and including a manuallysettable member on one of said units, and means for locking saidresetting means against operation and including a lockinginstrumentality on the last mentioned unit.

9. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units in abuttingrelation; each unit having a casing, a. counter device in each casingand having a plurality of numeral members, a sectional drive member ineach casing, and a breakable connection within each casing between thedrive member and the counter device therein; means for fastening thecasings together in abutting relation, 2. manuaily operable member onthe outside of said casings having a plurality of selectively settablepositions, means within the casing and connected between said member andsaid breakable connections whereby said manually operable member mayselectively connect the counters with the respective sectional drivemembers, each of said counter devices having a resetting means, andmeans for simultaneously locking said resetting means against operationand including operatively associated lock elements movably supported inthe casings and respectively associated with said resetting means, and alocking instrumentality adapted to lock said lock elements in operativeposition.

10. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units in abuttingrelation; each unit having a casing, a counter device in each casing andhaving a plurality of numeral members, a sectional drive member in eachcasing and a breakable connection within each casingbetween the drivemember and the counter device therein; means for fastening the casingstogether in abutting re ation, cover means for said casings, means forselectively engaging and disengaging said breakable connections andhaving a manually operable member carried by said cover means, each ofsaid counter devices having a resetting means, and means behind, andconcealed by, said cover means for locking said resetting means againstoperation and including a locking instrumentality,

11. In combination, a counter units arranged in unit including a casing,a counter device within the casing and having numeral members, and meansfor resetting the counter device; a sectional drive member through whichsaid counter devices are operated; and means for locking said resettingmeans against operation and including a lock bar section in each casingand a locking instrumentality carried by one of said units and adaptedto lock the lock bar in operative position.

12. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation; each unit including a casing, a counter device withinthe casing and having numeral members, means for resetting the counterdevice, a drive member section in the casing, a breakable connectionbetween said drive member section and the counter device, a shift membersection in the casing and having means for operating said breakableconnection, and a lock bar section in the casing for locking saidresetting means against operation; means for securing said casingstogether in abutting relation and with the sections of said drivemember, the sections of said shift member and the sections of said lockbar operatively associated, a manually operable member for setting saidshift member, and a locking in strumentality for locking said lock barsections inoperative position.

13. In combination, a plurality of separable units arranged in abuttingrelation and each having a casing, counter devices therein, a sectionaldrive member journalled in each casing, breakable connections betweensaid drive member and the counter devices, means for securing saidcasings together in abutting relation, means for selectively shiftingsaid breakable connections into and out of operation, said lastmentioned means including a sectional shift member with one sectionlocated in each casing, and a manually operable member associated withone of said units for setting said shift member; each of said counterdevices having means for resetting the same, and means for locking saidresetting means against operation and including a lock bar section ineach casing and a locking instrumentality adapted to lock the lock barin operative position.

14. In combination, a primary counter unit and a secondary counter unitin abutting relation therewith; each unit including a casing having acounter device therein including numeral members, a sectional drivemember journalled in each casing, and a detachable connection betweensaid drive member and the counter device within each casing; means forsecuring said casings together in abutting relation, and means forselectively shifting said detachable connections into and out ofoperation, said last mentioned means including a. section shift memberhaving a section located in each casing and a manually operable memberassociated with plurality of separate abutting relation; each theprimary counter unit for selectively setting said shift member.

15. In combination, a plurality of counter units positioned in abuttingrelation; one of said units comprising a primary counter unit and eachof said units having a casing, a counter device located within eachcasing and having numeral members, a drive shaft section journalledwithin each casing and operatively connected to the counter device inthat casing, and a breakable connection between each drive shaft 4section and its respective counter device; means within the primarycounter unit for selectively shifting said breakable connections andincluding a shift shaft section journalled in the primary unit forselectively positioning said-shift shaft, means for securing theabutting casings together, quick detachable connections between adjacentends of adjacent sections of the drive shaft, and quick detachableconnections between adjacent ends of adjacent sections of the shiftshaft.

16. In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation, each unit including a casing and having a counterdevice therein provided with numeral members, a drive shaft sectionjournalled in each casing and through which said counter devices areoperated, means operatively interconnecting the abutting ends of saiddrive shaft sections, a clutch between each drive shaft section and itsassociated counter device, a, shift shaft section journalled in eachcasing,-and a cam on each shift shaft section for selectively operatingits associated clutch, means for securing said casings together inabutting relation, quick detachable connections between adjacent ends ofthe shift shaft sections, and means for selectively presetting thepositions of said shift shafts whereby any one of said counter units maybe selectively operated.

17, In combination, a plurality of separable counter units arranged inabutting relation and each having a casing, a counter device in eachunit, a sectional drive member journalled in each casing, detachableconnections between said drive member and the counter devices, means forremovably securing said casings together in abutting relation, means forselectively shifting said detachable connections into and out ofoperation to individually operate said counters, said last mentionedmeans including a sectional shift member with one section located ineach cas-- ing and a manually operable control member for setting saidshift member; each of said counterdevices having a, resetting means, andmeans for simultaneously locking said resetting means against operationand including a plurality of associated lock bar sections respectivelyassociated with said resetting means and a locking instrumentality forlocking the lock bar sections in operative position.

HARVEY L. SPAUNBURG.

